RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY 28/04/2022
The transition is made possible by the Virtual Power Purchase Agreement signed by Owens Corning, which secures the supply of wind energy for the next 10 years. The switch to renewable electricity will have a significant impact on the carbon footprint of the Polish factory's products.
On the first day of 2022, Owens Corning Paroc took a big step on our sustainability journey. On that day, OC Paroc's factory in Poland switched to using 100% renewable electricity in its two most recent production lines.
The step is particularly significant because the Polish factory is the largest of OC Paroc's factories in Europe and has two modern production lines, opened in 2008 and 2020, which use electric melting furnaces.
“In Poland, power generation is heavily reliant on coal. As the electricity used in our two electric melting production lines in Poland is now 100% renewable, the transition is significant and considerably reduces the carbon footprint of the products,” says John McVey, Europe Energy Lead at Owens Corning.
By adhering to the accounting standards of the World Resources Institute’s GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance, which amends to the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, the production process of the Polish factory’s electric melting furnace using renewable electricity will create 80% less CO2 emissions than a cupola furnace.
“We are making a big impact here”, says John McVey.
That impact is made possible by a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement, or VPPA.
To make the green transition a reality in Poland, in late 2021 Owens Corning signed a virtual power purchase agreement with Octopus Renewables to source energy from its Ljungbyholm wind farm in southern Sweden.
Owens Corning entered into two wind VPPAs which will provide an annual renewable electricity capacity of over 90 MW during the next 10 years. This will contribute to the decarbonization of Owens Corning’s European operations and reaching sustainability targets. OC Paroc is committed to 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
“Increasing our use of renewable energy is a critical part of our plan to decarbonize our operations and reduce the embodied carbon of our products. This deal is one more step towards our 100% renewable electricity goal,” says Frank O'Brien-Bernini, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Owens Corning.
According to John McVey, this agreement is particularly important for two reasons.
"By signing the VPPA, we not only secure the supply of renewable electricity for our factory in Poland, but through additionality we also contribute to the growth of the renewable energy market. At OC, we will continue to look for opportunities to invest in renewables."
To learn more about our renewable electricity goals and progress as well as our other 2030 goals, visit our 2021 Sustainability Report.
